Photos by Linda McManus Images
“The basic pole barn typically looks cheap,” Zerrer says. Pole barns are built without a foundation and instead have poles set in the ground and a truss roof. They are usually...

The 1,300-square-foot structure blends well with property’s lush surroundings. Zerrer stained the cedar a semitransparent green and accented it with a rich red trim. The barn doors aren’t functional, but...

A stone pathway leads from the main house and driveway out to the workshop, surrounded by native planted gardens. And though Zerrer says the landscaping is pretty low maintenance, there are times during...

Zerrer was excited about visiting his workshop in the evenings. “I love seeing lights in the woods at night,” he says. But that meant having to walk from the house out to the shed in the dark and turn...

Inside, the workshop is divided into three 16-foot wide areas, with the workshop occupying the end closest to the house. Zerrer finished this area differently from the other two areas, since it would house...

Zerrer’s tool assemblage comes from years of collecting and includes, among other items, an industrial-grade SawStop table saw. The tool has a sensor that will stop the blade from spinning within five...

Other craftspeople complete some of the firm’s more artistic pieces, and millwork pieces often get completed onsite, but sometimes Zerrer’s workers use the studio to finish custom trim or cabinets. Now...

Two 16-foot-wide storage bays sit next to the workshop and house tools, ladders and the occasional extra-large woodworking project. When laying out this area, Zerrer knew he wanted heavy-duty storage....

Tall ceilings also contribute to the shed’s open feeling and provide Zerrer and his crew with plenty of space to work with the 10-foot-, 12-foot- or 16-foot-long boards they often handle. The garage doors...